What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

"Seat Ramp Assembly" (DWG 68) questions

My -8 was born in 2003 with fancy fiberglass VELO "racing seats" that sit on their own brackets. Those seats/brackets are now out of the aircraft and I have new (still fancy but much more comfortable) seats to install. No issues with the back seat. But I've got no "seat ramp" installed up front so there's nowhere for my cushion and the seat cushion to rest.

My plans (circa 2000) include a DWG 30 (below) that faithfully describes how this would've gone together with parts that were available... 21 years ago. My first hint that things have changed came when "The List" on Van's only turned up one of the brackets for the left side (F-880BPP-L shown below). The -R complement is but a memory...

A new(er) RV-8 manual on the interweb from 2005 suggests that a new(er) drawing (DWG 68) exists that includes an updated approach for "Seat Ramp Assembly" and callouts for newer part numbers (F-879-1, F-880A-1, F-880B-L-1, F-880B-R-1 from the sounds of it). I don't expect it to be too complicated or different looking from DWG 30 but I want to make sure I don't miss anything. And my 2000 drawing set only goes to 50.

Can someone post a pic of the "Seat Ramp Assembly" detail of DWG 68? Or perhaps just jot down the new parts that are called out that I can cross reference with my DWG 30 shown? Any gotchas that folks have experienced or recommended tweaks that you'd care to offer for this assembly would be welcomed and appreciated as well.

Thanks folks!
 

Attachments

  • dwg30-2000.jpg
    dwg30-2000.jpg
    192 KB · Views: 123
Last edited:
One thing I did that I am glad I did was reinforce the front lip of the F-880AAp with a piece of angle under the lip. No one will ever see it or notice it but that seat edge takes all manner of abuse during maintenance, under-panel access, etc including standing on it. I think I would have buckled mine by now had I not put that reinforcement in.
 
Great mod, Steve. Just the sort of feedback I was hoping to hear. Thanks!

BTW -- did you install F-880B-L-1 and F-880B-R-1 brackets on yours or do your plans go back to the F-880BPP-L and (I presume) the F-880BPP-R that I can't find?
 
Drawing 68 From a kit shipped in 2019
 

Attachments

  • 3ECB0386-06C1-47B2-A9A3-BBD1E7318581.jpeg
    3ECB0386-06C1-47B2-A9A3-BBD1E7318581.jpeg
    695.6 KB · Views: 138
Call VANs with the serial number of your RV8 and they will tell you which parts will fit your age kit.
 
Great mod, Steve. Just the sort of feedback I was hoping to hear. Thanks!

BTW -- did you install F-880B-L-1 and F-880B-R-1 brackets on yours or do your plans go back to the F-880BPP-L and (I presume) the F-880BPP-R that I can't find?

My kit was pre-matched hole, like yours. Looking at the new drawing (68) the parts sure look the same but hard to say what tweaks they did when they made the new matched hole parts. It also seems like if you just get all the new parts for the forward ramp ( the F-880A -1 and F-880B-1 left and right) that assembly will likely work, worst case you have to drill a couple of extra holes.
 
Back
Top